THE ROOK. 
321 
them fell on its back into the fork of an ash tree, from which it 
was unable to extricate itself, and died from the pressure.* 
Rooks sometimes scratch like hens, and I once in the month of 
June saw some busily engaged tearing ants, of a small black 
species, out of their ant-hills. They take great pleasure in 
washing themselves, and will walk deliberately into a river up to 
their bellies, and splash away like so many ducks. They frequent 
the banks of rivers during inundations, and occasionally even 
venture some way into the water in search of food.” 
My correspondent remarks, that in addition to its ordinary prey, 
he has observed the rook repeatedly fly up from the ground like a 
stonechat, to catch flies; to turn over the stones in very hot 
weather in search, as was believed, of beetles and worms ; and 
to exhibit a carnivorous propensity so far as to fly off with the 
decayed body of a rat. 
“About June and July, rooks suffer great privation, from the 
burnt up condition of the ground rendering it almost impossible 
to reach their natural sustenance : hence the proverb rife about 
here, * As hungry as a June crow/ A large number of young 
ones remain all night in the open country, resorting separately 
to hedge-rows, or small groves, and seeming in a great 
degree to lose the congregating instinct of their species. The 
country-people think they can smell powder, and fear it even 
before it is exploded. A woman came to me lately for a little 
pinch to burn on a potato-ridge to keep off the crows/M 
In the winter of 1846, about Christmas, these birds were fre- 
quently observed (by Mr. R. Warren, junr.,) to stoop down to the 
water in Cork harbour, and pick dead or dying sprats ( Clupea 
* “ In the beginning of the breeding-season of the present year, a rook unfor- 
tunately got entangled in the thick branches of a large tree, adjacent to Castle 
Warren, the seat of Robert Warren, Esq., county of Cork. The other rooks 
seeing its hapless condition attacked, and soon put an end to its existence, notwith- 
standing the vigorous but ineffectual efforts of its mate to defend it. Since that time 
the dead body is daily visited by a rook, which also roosts by it every night. This 
rook is supposed to he the mate ; if so, it is indeed “ fidelity in death ! ” * Mr. R. 
Taylor of Belfast, who made the communication, has informed me that the rook 
roosted regularly as described, beside its ill-fated companion, for two months. 
t Mr. Poole. 
* Zoologist, June, 1848, p. 2146. 
Y 
VOL. I. 
